The needle pierced his mangled abdomen. A serum, a cocktail of Hashirama cells and a lethal dose of benzodiazepine sedatives, was slowly pushed from the syringe into Hyūga Yu's gut.
In that instant, Yu's senses blurred once more. Even Danzō's detestable face seemed to warp in his vision, appearing strangely kind and benevolent.
It all felt like a hallucination. What he had just experienced seemed more like a fever dream brought on by accidentally eating poisonous mushrooms—an impossible nightmare.
But the heat now radiating through his body told him the truth: this was reality.
Danzō claimed there were no survivors, that it was incredibly dangerous, and that this was the "price of naivety." However, knowing the plot, Yu recognized the truth at a single glance. The right arm Danzō had "accidentally" exposed was a product of Hashirama cell cultivation. Under Danzō's command, there were already experimental subjects who had successfully integrated Hashirama cells and even gained the Wood Style—Tenzo, also known as Yamato, or rather, the child currently known as "Kinoe."
Danzō was lying to him.
The vial of Hashirama cells in Danzō's hand was likely what Tanuki Shigekine had described: a weakened version, iterated through dozens of generations, which had lost most of its original vitality and was intended for live human experimentation.
This version of the cells had already been proven successful on Danzō himself.
Therefore, the "certain death" Danzō spoke of actually pointed toward a single outcome: rebirth.
But why lie to me?
Why use this lecturing tone?
And why "carelessly" reveal his most vital secret and trump card—that arm of Hashirama cells?
In this moment, Shimura Danzō's image became complex and inscrutable in Yu's eyes.
Yu tried his hardest to think, but the world before him grew increasingly hazy, and his thoughts became sluggish.
Finally, Yu could only feel as if countless streams of molten lava were erupting from every corner of his body!
He could only hear a sharp, metallic ringing—like a heavy sledgehammer forging fine steel—booming in his head, in his body, and at the very core of his countless cells!
"BOOM!"
It was like the resounding toll of a great bronze bell, magnificent and echoing. A heavy strike met with a loud ring; a light tap met with a soft echo.
Ultimately, it bound his spirit and marrow together, slowly pulling back the curtain on a transformation that would overturn everything...
Evolution!
November 13, Konoha Year 49.
Witnessed by the likes of Might Duy, Shisui Uchiha, and the Grand Elder of the Hyūga Clan's Main House, the Konoha shinobi "Hyūga Yu" perished in a heroic struggle against the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist.
This Konoha Genin erupted with a terrifying combat power that far surpassed his rank on the Land of Fire's Eastern Front. Facing all seven members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen simultaneously, he managed to sever an arm of Jūzō Biwa (wielder of the Executioner's Blade), heavily wound Jinpachi Munashi (wielder of the Blastsword: Shibuki), and kill Kushimaru Kuriarare (wielder of the Longsword: Nuibari).
Ultimately, before Konoha's reinforcements could arrive, he fell under the blade of Fuguki Suikazan, the wielder of Samehada.
Of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, one was dead, one was maimed, and one was severely injured. Under the subsequent pursuit by Konoha forces, they retreated from the Land of Fire.
That same afternoon, there was no time to mourn the fallen hero.
The Hidden Mist launched a large-scale amphibious landing operation on the Kusunami Coast. Konoha shinobi, led by the Uchiha and Hyūga clans, fought desperately but found it difficult to withstand the Mist's offensive. Out of necessity, at 8:00 PM, Konoha organized a suicide mission against the Mist fleet anchored two nautical miles offshore. Nearly a thousand shinobi, carrying 100,000 explosive tags transported from the village, charged toward the enemy fleet under the cover of night.
Bizarrely, when the raiding force reached the designated sea area, the main Mist force was already preparing to retreat back to their village.
That night, amidst explosions that tore through the darkness, the Mist fleet was attacked. A small portion of their ships was destroyed, and a massive number of Mist shinobi retreated from the front lines by sea.
The situation was suspicious. Konoha's forces were baffled. Under the leadership of Fugaku Uchiha, they initially intended to continue the assault, but the operation was suddenly terminated half an hour later.
The subsequent official battle report stated: Konoha destroyed a large portion of the Mist fleet in this engagement.
Konoha had secured victory on the Land of Fire's Eastern Front.
November 17, 8:00 AM.
The funeral for the shinobi who fell in this campaign was held as scheduled. Over two thousand remaining shinobi from the Eastern Front attended. At the simple ceremony, an ordinary shinobi sword was placed at the very front of countless empty coffins. It was the sword of Hyūga Yu, the hero who had thwarted the conspiracy of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
Representatives from the Medical Department and the Reconnaissance Class took turns delivering eulogies and tributes to Yu.
Following them, Hyūga Hizashi, one of the high-ranking commanders of the Eastern Front, took the stage.
As he delivered his cold, factual statement, the story of Hyūga Yu's battle achievements began to circulate among the Konoha shinobi, moving many to tears.
But soon, something unexpected happened. In the middle of the solemn and dignified funeral, Hyūga Hizashi suddenly revealed the truth behind Hyūga Yu's death:
As a top-tier medical ninja and a Wind Style genius with a limitless future, Hyūga Yu, a member of the Hyūga Branch House, should not have died in the battle against the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
It was the Grand Elder of the Hyūga Main House, Hyūga Chutaka, who launched a sneak attack on Hyūga Yu using the Caged Bird Curse Mark while Yu was surrounded by the Seven Ninja Swordsmen. Might Duy and Shisui Uchiha, who were present at the scene, could testify to this.
The reason Hyūga Chutaka attacked Yu was because of a rumor from the Mist side claiming that Yu, despite the restrictions of the Caged Bird, had gouged out and transplanted a Main House Byakugan.
A hero of Konoha, who should have had a brilliant future, died because of a ridiculous rumor.
The revelation turned the funeral into a scene of absurd, dark humor.
Hiashi Hyūga and Grand Elder Hyūga Chutaka turned pale upon hearing the exposure. They instinctively wanted to activate the Caged Bird against Hizashi to stop him from revealing the truth.
However, under the icy glares of over two thousand Konoha shinobi, neither of them dared to move a muscle.
Finally, Hizashi announced at the funeral that he would report this matter to the Main House's Council of Elders. Furthermore, at the upcoming high-level meeting of the Hyūga Clan, he would propose the reinstatement of the "Tennin" system!
He declared that if he were to die before then, he requested the Konoha high command to inform the Main House of the details.
The Hyūga Clan had to change!
In an instant, discussions regarding the truth of Hyūga Yu's death, the significance of his life and passing to the Hyūga Clan, and conspiracy theories about the strange turns of the Eastern Front campaign began to spread throughout the entire shinobi world.
A few days later, riding the storm of public opinion, Hyūga Hizashi officially announced the detailed regulations of the "Tennin" system:
The "Tennin" system was not complicated. It consisted of only one rule—
The strongest individual within the Hyūga Clan, for the sake of the clan's prosperity, must cast aside personal desires, family, and even their name, to be known as "Hyūga Tennin."
The Tennin could come from either the Main House or the Branch House. However, once a "Tennin" emerged, all members of the Hyūga Clan had to obey their every command unconditionally.
Furthermore, the descendants of a Tennin would be established as a new branch of the Main House upon their birth.
Simultaneously, Hyūga Hizashi announced that after the Third Shinobi World War ended, he would challenge and defeat the strongest member of the Main House—his own brother, Hiashi Hyūga. He invited the leaders and representatives of the major powers in the shinobi world to witness the duel. From that day forward, he would take the name "Tennin" and dedicate his everything to Konoha and the Hyūga Clan!
The turmoil from the Eastern Front soon reached Konoha and the Hyūga Main House, sparking massive internal debates.
However, Hyūga Chuguang—the Main House Elder who was the most staunch supporter of the "Tennin" system—remained behind closed doors throughout the event. He turned a deaf ear to the secret invitations sent by Hyūga Hizashi.
Inside his grand, towering mansion—which had become somewhat neglected since a certain brat's departure—Hyūga Chuguang sat quietly by the veranda, a lonely expression on his face.
Beside him, Hyūga Ke, a member of the Main House, served him respectfully. He reported the recent events and asked for the opinion of this elder, who had lived since the Warring States Period.
However, when asked what he thought of Hyūga Hizashi, who had recently made such a stir and claimed he would change the Hyūga Clan, the usually silent Chuguang suddenly curled his lips into a mocking, sarcastic sneer.
"Hyūga Hizashi? He thinks he's worthy?"
"What is this nonsense about a Tennin system? Witnesses? Challenges? Dedication? That's nothing more than going from being a dog to being a slightly larger dog!"
"Hahahaha! This old man is going to die laughing!"
As he spoke, Hyūga Chuguang couldn't help but burst into laughter, tears nearly squeezing out from the corners of his wrinkled eyes. "Hyūga Ke, remember this—"
"A so-called Tennin..."
"Is a monster who can brutally tear apart the Main and Branch system, ignore the Caged Bird, and ride over everyone's heads without anyone daring to utter a single word of complaint. Someone terrifyingly strong and utterly reckless!"
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